


Bring About My End, Only For You

by End



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: "Nereid"Lance, "Witch"Keith, Allura and Coran are already shapeshifting aliens what more do you want, Alternate Canon, Canon-Typical Violence, Dragon Hunter Keith, Dragon Lance, Dryad Hunk, Fairy Pidge, Gen, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mytholgical Elements, Outer Space, ShadowWalker Shiro, Shitty Summary, Temporary Character Death, Voltron, canonverse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-19 02:03:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8184860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/End/pseuds/End
Summary: "Maybe, somewhere out there, there's a brighter future for everyone."
They may be from earth, but they are not human. And yet, in some way, they are often more human than anyone else. 
There's always something to protect, and it's only human to lie. It's only natural to hide.
Secrets are always best kept when no one expects them from you, after all.





	1. I, Of the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> Nereid- sea nymph  
> Dryad-tree nymph, oak specific  
> ShadowWalker- someone who can travel through shadows

It’s a different world beneath the water. Light casts gentle rays onto the seafloor and it’s quiet, nearly silent.  The ocean creates soft music out of the gentle coos and chirps of the animals and the sound of the waves above.

 

He misses it.

 

-

 

When Lance was born, it was a miracle. Literally.

 

There, amongst the brightly colored coral, the presumed third dragon of the sea is born into a declining kingdom of mers and nereids. What was once a hopeless future becomes a bright new beginning.

 

\- 

 

The second dragon of the sea goes berserk soon after he is born, corrupting and polluting the waters bt by bit, destroying kingdoms beneath the water at rapid speeds until it reaches the edges of his kingdom. 

 

Lance is 6 years old when he and his family escape from the palace.

 

“Where are we going, Mama?” He asks, confused and curious.

 

His mother pulls him close to her chest and sighs, a trail of bubbles escaping her mouth as she does.

 

“We’re going to the surface, love. The palace isn’t safe anymore,” His mother smiles down at him.

 

Lance blinks up at her.

 

“What about the people, Mama? We can’t just leave them behind. Won’t they get hurt?”

 

Her eyes widen for a moment, and then she smiles gently. 

 

“Don’t worry, Lance. We already made sure they evacuated. We should be the last ones.” 

 

“Oh.” Lance nods resolutely. “Ok. As long as they are safe, I guess it’s fine.”

 

His mother nods. “If we could have stayed, You would have made a wonderful king, Lance.”

 

-

 

At the surface, they mingle with the humans in a small, seaside town.

 

Two years later, Lance meets Hunk.

 

-

 

“Hunk, do you believe in mermaids?” Lance asks one day, tracing old runes into the sand.

 

“Yeah. Mom says my dad was one!” Hunk says, “But he died a few years ago on a fishing trip. I heard from the others that he was crushed under the ship before he could escape.”

 

“That’s sad.” Lance nods. “I’ve never seen my dad. Mom says he disappeared at sea during a war.”

 

The two of them look over the water. For a moment, all that can be heard is the gentle sound of the waves.

 

“Are you scared of the ocean, Hunk?” Lance asks.

 

“A little bit,” Hunk nods.

 

“Not me. It’s too pretty.” Lance looks back at Hunk and grins. “It’s practically my home at this point.”

  
  


-

 

Lance and Hunk are 18 years old when they get accepted into the prestigious Galaxy Garrison. Takashi Shirogane is his hero, a ShadowWalker and the star pilot of the Garrison. It’s an honor to go to the same school as him.

  
  


The school, not far from their hometown, is nestled snugly along the California coast. The two of them become roommates- by chance, surprisingly enough- and quickly establish a routine. The Garrison, working in agreement with the town,  allows their students to go to town to buy food and supplies, amongst other things, on weekends, as long as the student is back by curfew.

 

-

 

Two years into the program, Keith drops out of the fighter class.

 

On one of their expeditions to town, Lance stumbles across Keith. The kid is a Dragon Hunter, and Lance should be terrified, but he’s not. Something tells him that he’s safe. Lance doesn’t care much about Keith’s former position, or what it means, really- not yet, at least- so he helps the poor guy out. His mother, being a former queen, helps pull a few strings, and bam! Keith has a new house, free of charge. 

 

It’s the first and last time he hears Keith say thank you in a long, long time.

-

 

Pidge joins their team a few months later. Pidge is Fae, and he’s dead set on fighting Commander Iverson, especially about the Kerberos Mission. More than once, Lance covers for him- and more than once, he is put down by the weight and fickleness of his title. 

 

Pidge doesn’t apologize for it, and Lance doesn’t care. He doesn’t expect him to. Instead, he trains harder.

 

-

 

Sometimes, Lance leans against the railings of the pizza shack’s patio and stares out at the sea. On days like these, his mind is plagued with thoughts of the war beneath the waves, His country that he narrowly escaped.

 

The pizza shack staff brings him extra garlic knots on these days. The few like him among the staff join him sometimes, a silent mourning for the lost.

 

-

 

Lance follows Pidge onto the roof the night Shiro crashes into their lives.  The desperate rush to save him comes without hesitation,a dormant instinct from long ago coming back to life. A weak attempt at rivalry is made amongst protective instincts, It’s short lived and overlooked, his mind preoccupied with saving Shiro.

 

The group escapes to Keith’s gifted shack, hidden amongst the cliffs.

 

-

 

It’s pretty common knowledge to  the townspeople that Lance doesn’t like swimming. Most people assume it’s aquaphobia and leave it at that- but to his friends, it’s a bit abnormal. Not only that, but his entire family seems to avoid the water, even the very ocean they seem to adore. 

 

Keith doesn’t know Lance very well. 

 

-

 

The cave is lined with tidepools, the carvings reflected off of their surface. Lance looks back wearily towards the cave entrance, watching as the tide slowly moves closer and closer.

 

They climb up a steep rock onto higher ground, above where the tide will enter, to get a better view of the carvings. The tide comes in almost fully by the time the four of them clamber onto the rocks. Keith is still climbing.

 

Lance looks at the markings along the sides of the walls curiously when Keith slips. He falls, panicked, into the water, the tide rapidly pulling him back, forcing him further and further away. He kicks and thrashes, until he finally disappears beneath the waves.

 

-

 

_ “Mama, Do you think we can ever go home?” _

 

_ “I hope so, love.” _

 

_ - _

 

“Keith!” Pidge and Hunk rush over to the rocks, horrified. Shiro takes a step back, stricken, and Lance? Lance looks into the ocean for a moment, eyes wide with terror, and then-

 

Without a second thought, Lance rips off his shirt and dives into the water.

 

“Lance? LANCE?!”

 

-

 

It’s quiet, underwater. Sound is muffled, creating an illusion of peace. Keith feels his consciousness slip away.

 

-

 

Lance feels his breathing grow heavy, bubbles trailing behind his as he swims. It’s been a long time since he could do this, but now is not the time to reminisce. He can see Keith, can see the tendrils of darkness pulling him down- darkness he’s seen before. Terror sends shocks through him, and he moves even faster. 

 

-

 

[Wake Up, Keith.]

 

Keith opens his eyes slightly, catching a wide back, marked with glowing spots along the spine of the creature. His eyes close again.

 

[Open your eyes.]

 

His eyes open more this time, catching wide shoulders- humanoid- and a face. The person looks back at him, lips moving. It’s nearly inaudible.

 

“-eith! Oh god -o sorry.”  

 

Keith feels a tug at his ankle and he thrashes again. His eyes open slightly, catching only the rapid escape of air from his lungs. He shuts them tightly again, and He feels nimble fingers free his ankle from the suffocating force that had pulled him under.

 

[Don’t panic, Idiot.]

 

[You’ll be fine, I promise.]

 

“I’m sorr-”

 

Keith opens his eyes a crack, his consciousness slipping with the last of his air, when he finally hears with clarity.

 

“Sorry, Keith.” 

 

And then warmth presses lightly against his lips, breathing air into his mouth, his lungs, and suddenly, he can breathe again.

 

[That wasn’t so hard, was It?]

 

He sees a face pull away- familiar, so familiar- and he speaks.

 

“Lance?”

 

Keith slips fully into unconsciousness at last.

 

-

 

_ “Who are you?” _

 

[Hm?]

 

[I’m-]

-

 

Lance looks at the walls around him, his instincts screaming for him to reach out and touch the lion carving closest to him. He hoists Keith up onto one hip, wrapping his arm securely around the sleeping boy’s waist. Then, he brushes his fingertips lightly across the carving, wiping off a line of dirt.

 

In an instant, The carvings glow, the water illuminated with a bright blue light, and then he’s falling.

 

-

 

When Keith opens his eyes again, He sees blue. He hears waves splash against the rocks, and then the shift of fabric nearby.

 

He sits up, his body aching and head pounding.

 

“You’re awake! Thank god.” He hears, his mind rushing to match a voice to a name as he closes his eyes to reorient himself.

 

“Lance...?” He blinks, and then looks up quickly. “What- Did you save me?”

 

Lance nods, pushing his water slicked hair back with a hand.

 

“Yeah, Why-?”

 

“I thought you hated the water.”

 

Lance stops. “...I don’t think I could ever bring myself to hate the water.”

 

Keith stares up at him for a second before he sees the lights. Carvings glow along the walls and the water from the tide steadily fills an underground lake nearby. 

 

“Where are we?”

 

Lance shrugs.  

 

“No clue. One second we were up there,” he pauses, pointing up at the hole the water falls from, “and the next we were here.”

 

“Huh.” Keith breathes, looking away.

 

The moment is broken by the sound of yelling, gradually growing louder. 

 

“-still alive! They were under for a while, even before the ground broke and the walls started glowing!” a voice says. Lance matches it to Pidge.

 

“I’m sure they're fine, guys. You’ll see.” says Hunk’s voice as the group steps into the underground cavern.

 

...and stops dead in their tracks at the sight of Lance, who has his hand on a wall of blue, Of which a giant blue robot sits idly behind.

 

“...Hey, guys!”

 

-

 

_ “Remember, Lance. If the opportunity to help someone arises, take it. Protect the ones you care about.” _

 


	2. I, of Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's pain, darkness all around him, suffocating. 
> 
> All he can think about is protecting them. If he can do anything, it's that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I
> 
> Sorry Shiro.
> 
> ((shorter chapter this time sorry))

Once, long ago, Darkness was a friend. Light and darkness, balanced delicately, evenly, through the shadows.

 

But now- now, when surrounded by nothing but the dark, he is terrified.

 

-

 

“Be careful, Matt. The ice is delicate.” Commander Holt says, smiling.

 

“Of, course, Dad. Careful is my middle name!” Matt looks up with a grin. “Isn’t this amazing, Shiro?”

 

“I think you Fae get more excited about this kind of thing than me.” Shiro chuckles.

 

“Come on, Shiro,” Says Commander Holt, nudging his shoulder. “We might be the first Earthlings to discover life outside of Earth!” 

 

“Think about it dad! We might be the first people to meet aliens!”

 

“My life’s work would be complete.”

 

A deep rumbling silences the group. Then, a shadow looms over them- and for once, all Shiro can feel is fear at the sight of it. 

 

There is a flash of light, and then complete Darkness.

 

-

 

When Shiro awakens, it is dark. There is no light for him to turn to, only darkness.

 

“Please, we come from a peaceful planet! We’re unarmed!”

 

But he is met with unnerving silence. And then, sudden blinding pain.

 

-

 

“I’m not gonna make it! I’ll never see my family again!” Matt gasps, eyes wide with terror. His glow has dimmed.

 

“Matt-” 

 

A blade. Matt cannot fight, must not fight. 

 

Shiro steps up and takes the title of Champion.

 

“Take care of your father, Matt.”

 

They drag him off the floor, pushing him roughly into the arena. Matt screams after him, eyes wet with tears.

 

“SHIRO!”

 

-

 

They take and take and take, muzzling him after the first of many attempts to fight back. It hurts, the cool metal cutting into his skin, making him see red with blood. Everything hurts, and there are people in his head, breaking through his walls, trying to break him from the inside out. He knows only pain, darkness. He remembers only fighting and painful flashes of light.  He cannot escape.

 

-

 

It’s hard to breathe, hard to see, vision hazy, memories fading. Each fight takes something away, each moment in the dark pulling memories of light away. He loses much more than his arm. He loses his friends, his stability. He wins to survive, but he can only feel his losses.

 

At least they are safe.

 

-

 

Sometimes, when he can, he tries his hardest to remember. He can see the Holts, Matt and Katie, Commander Holt and his wife. 

 

He can see Keith, his almost little brother with a lopsided grin at the news of the mission. 

 

“Come back safe, Takashi.”

 

-

 

He doesn’t use the shadows. It’s too hard to stare at the darkness, so he revels in what little light he has left. There are no Shadows he will touch here.

 

-

 

He escapes, broken. Lost, wandering through the galaxy until he finally, finally finds home. 

 

-

 

When he awakens again, He sees familiar faces. But he’s strapped down, can’t move, can’t breathe- 

 

“You don’t understand-!”

 

He’s trying to make them see, trying to let them know, but they aren’t listening. 

 

“No, no! Don’t put me under! No!”

 

-

 

“No, no, no, you- Nuh-uh, I’m saving Shiro!” 

 

-

 

“It’s good to have you back, Shiro.” Keith says, and it’s the first of many small miracles.

 

Shiro takes a breath, staring out at the sea as light touches the water.

 

“It’s good to be back.”

 

-

 

Pidge looks at him oddly, almost glaring. Shiro tries to remember something, but he is met only with darkness.

 

-

 

The Nereid boy, Lance, stops, looking at his hand. It’s a split second hesitation, and then he looks up, fearlessly, comfortingly. He takes his hand and smiles.

 

It’s warm.

 

-

 

Keith falls into the water, kicking and thrashing. The water pulls him away, dragging him further and further from the rock. Shiro can’t breathe, memories flashing across his mind’s eye. It’s painful, and he’s scared, so scared to lose something else so soon-

 

Lance doesn’t hesitate.

 

-

 

Hunk, The dryad, drops to his knees, reaching over the ledge to touch the water below.

 

“The second Dragon of the sea is loose down there! They’ll be killed!” Pidge says, hands curling into fists.

 

Sudden light, gentle and blue, lights the cave suddenly. A low rumbling shakes the floor, and then a large boulder falls out of a space in the wall. The water from the tide drops, disappearing into a hole in the stone floor.

 

They walk towards the wall, finding the path hidden beyond.

 

-

 

“I’m just being realistic, Hunk! We don’t even know if they’re still alive! They were under for a while, even before the ground broke and the walls started glowing!” Shouts Pidge.

 

“Pidge…?”

 

“I’m sure they’re fine, guys, you’ll see.” Hunk says, waving the boy off.

 

“Hunk-” 

 

The path opens up into another cavern, the sound of running water louder and the blue light brighter. 

 

And there is Keith, staring up at the walls in wonder, perfectly fine. And Lance, with water slicked hair and a lazy smile, pressing a hand against a wall of blue.

 

“...Hey, guys!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BAM, SECOND CHAPTER.
> 
> im sobs i have too much spare time


	3. I, of the Trees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's green, lush and alive with plants; and he is happy.
> 
> But there is much more. He, of oak, is strong and supportive. No matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im suffer

Amongst the trees, a gorgeous green, gentle golden light filtering through the leaves. Sturdy branches, home to hundreds of small animals, creating music with the wind and the gentle coos and chirps of the creatures nearby.

 

That song is sincerely missed.

 

-

 

A young sapling takes his tree and escapes with his mother, who once stood proudly as a holy tree. The forest he once lived in is burning. The humans rush to put it out, protecting his mother’s tree. 

 

The sapling carries his tree close. They move to the beach, a town created by a lost kingdom of Mers and Nereids, where his father came from.

 

And he meets Lance.

 

-

 

“Why don’t you ever swim, Lance? If you like the ocean so much, why no?” Asks Hunk, curious.

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to…” Says Lance, turning away.

 

“Why, then?” 

 

“I can’t,” Lance whispers, “It’s not allowed.”

 

-

 

It’s a dream come true, when they get accepted into the Galaxy Garrison, Even more so when they become roommates.

 

Hunk never questions the length of their expeditions into town, or the longing gazes toward the sea. He doesn’t question the excessive amounts of garlic knots the pizza shack gives them sometimes, or the group by the railing.

 

He never questions it, hoping that one day, Lance trusts him enough to tell him himself.

 

-

 

Lance is actually really smart. And when Pidge pisses off Iverson, it really shows.

 

It’s in the subtle way he moves, the way he places himself between the two and eases the attention toward himself. And Hunk knows more than anyone that it hurts him, that he’s scared.

 

But Lance is smart. He doesn’t act like it, but he’s at the top of the class, and he tries so, so hard. He’s good at what he does, he always has been.

 

And it hurts to watch him when it pulls him apart.

 

-

 

“Come on, Hunk! Something huge is going to happen, I just know it!” Says Lance, bouncing on his heels as he pulls lightly at Hunk’s sleeve.

 

“I don’t think we should, Lance. We aren’t sure what-”

 

“Shhh,” Lance whispers, waving absentmindedly. “Hunk, I think I saw Pidge go out there! Come on!”

 

-

 

“That’s Keith!” Says Lance, leaning over the edge of the railing. 

 

“Are you sure, Lance?” Asks Hunk worriedly. “Why would he be here?”

 

“Who’s Keith?” Pidge asks, confused, “What are you doing?!”

 

Lance hops over the railing, eyes narrowed. “I’m gonna go find out.”

 

“Lance, Are you sure this is a good idea?!” Hunk fretts.

 

-

 

Hunk knows for a fact that Lance will do anything to avoid the ocean’s water. He also knows that Lance, more than anyone he knows, loves the ocean. It’s odd, confusing, and mind boggling.

 

So when Lance dives into the ocean without a thought, it shocks Hunk enough to send his knees crashing to the ground.

 

-

 

Normally, when something bad happens, Hunk gets a feeling. His leaves wilt and he gets this overwhelming sense of dread weighing on his lungs.

 

Right now, he has none of that. If anything, is leaves perk up a little. 

 

Hunk has the feeling that everything is going to be perfectly fine.

 

-

 

Under the blue light, Hunk feels an odd sense of serenity. It’s calm, the air is clear, and -

 

“- just being realistic, Hunk! We don’t even know if they’re still alive! They were under for a while, even before the ground broke and the walls started glowing!” Pidge worried, voice loud.

 

“Pidge...?” Shiro speaks in a small voice, confused.

 

“I’m sure they’re fine, guys, you’ll see.”  Hunk says, waving them off.

 

“Hunk-” Pidge starts, but the path opens into a cavern, drowning out his voice with the sound of water.

 

Blue light blinds him for a second, and as he blinks away the stars, he sees Lance and Keith. 

 

Keith, looking confused, glaring at a wall but otherwise fine, and Lance, pushing back water slicked hair with one hand and leaning against a wall of blue.

 

Transparent, glowing blue, revealing a large mechanical lion that bows its head at Lance’s feet.

  
“...Hey, Guys!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO I HAVE RETURNED WITH MORE CONTENT 
> 
> I WANT TO DIE I HAVE AN AP ESSAY I SHOULD BE DOING HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA 
> 
> I MAY NOT BE MONOTHEISTIC OR BELIEVE IN HELL BUT I SURE AS HELL AM GOING THERE HAHAHAHA
> 
> ((I want to die))
> 
> ((A comment a day sends more chapters your way just saying))


	4. I,of the Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blooming fields of flowers, created in happiness by her own hands, only to wilt when she fades away.
> 
> For family, she would do anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I JUST REALLY LOVE PIDGE OK
> 
> language of flowers is heavily used. all definitions are in the end notes.

It’s the flowers that bloom across pale skin, vines snaking down lithe arms, delicate tendrils of ivy piercing pointed ears painlessly. Flowers, speaking volumes of emotions, that speak simply by existing.

 

That language has not been lost. She will find her family, and they will speak again.

 

-

 

Katie Holt is 6 years old and has never been so happy in her life. She laughs as flowers bloom around her, and her mother places the delicate blooms of yellow tulips and deep blue crocus into her cupped palms. Matt, 8 years old, has white camellias and orange blossoms blooming along his hairline, a wide smile stretched across his face. Her father picks her up and lifts her into the air with a spin, sending pale pink rose petals across the room. 

 

Her family is together, happy and peaceful. Katie Holt, at 6 years old, has no reason to crave vengeance. At 6 years old, her only worry is that her flowers will wilt before their time.

 

-

 

At ten years old, Katie Holt and her 12 year old brother Matt get a puppy. 

 

The dog, called Holly, is a white bull terrier with dark eyes that speak volumes of mischief. Katie weaves a crown of dandelions and places it on Holly’s head. 

 

Holly is another piece of her family,  a piece that, like all the others, Katie does not want to lose.

 

-

 

Katie Holt is 16 years old when she first hears of the Kerberos Mission. They sit at the dining table, making light hearted conversation as forsythia grows from Matt’s shoulders. Holly barks happily from her place in his lap. 

 

Matthew and Samuel Holt introduce Katie and her mother to the pilot of the mission, 21 year old Takashi Shirogane, or Shiro.  Katie hands him a white carnation and smiles.

 

“Good luck,” Grins a 17 year old Katie, a full year later, when they are about to take off. Each man gets a yellow poppy before they leave. 

 

Katie is confident that she will see them again.

 

-

 

Five months later, the Kerberos mission disappears. She can’t believe it. Something is missing. There is a crucial piece of evidence missing, some part of the puzzle just out of her reach.

 

Garrison footage shows no signs of a pilot error, like they said on the news.

 

“You can’t keep me out!” Screeches 17 year old Katie, struggling in the security’s arms. “I’ll find the truth, I’ll never stop!”

 

As they drag her away, she leaves a trail of monkshood and marigold in her wake.

 

-

 

Katie Holt becomes Pidge Gunderson at the age of 18.

 

She stares down her reflection, running her fingers through her long hair for the last time.

 

She reaches for the scissors with a grimace. 

 

“It’s now or never.” Pidge Gunderson says to the Katie Holt in the mirror. 

 

As the light strands of dark blonde fall to the floor, and she lets herself cry.

 

-

 

Pidge has never met anybody as selfless as Lance and Hunk. She picks a fight with Iverson because she knows he’s wrong, and Iverson moves to retaliate every time, but the two of them swoop in, soften the blow. Hunk pulls Pidge away as Lance gets scolded again.

 

“Pidge, I know it’s personal, but please,” Says Hunk, pleading, “Don’t let it hurt you. Us. Please, Pidge. All we want is for you to be happy.”

 

Lance always disappears for a while after things like that. Pidge thinks he’s brooding, but Hunk shakes his head. 

 

“No, he’s probably training,” Hunk shrugs. “He may not seem like the type, but he’s really smart and hardworking. There’s a reason he was picked to be in this class, after all.”

 

Pidge watches a little closer after that.

 

-

 

Pidge doesn’t remember what flowers she originally named them in her head, but after a few months of working with them, she knows it’s changed drastically. Now, she can only see Lance as a proud stalk of gladiolus, and Hunk as a bunch of violets. Both are strong, stronger than even she can bring herself to be. 

 

She sees Lance stumble back to his room just before curfew, sweaty and gross and out of breath. She sees Hunk open the door, sees the first aid kit on the bed as she passes by. In the morning, She hears Lance complain loudly, light heartedly, about soreness, hears the groans of fellow classmates as they whisper of his supposed laziness. 

 

Iverson gives the young pilot no mercy, tearing him apart at the seams, and Lance takes it with a cocky grin and a shrug.

 

Pidge can never bring herself to apologize, no matter how much she wants to. The words get caught in her throat, refuse to reach her lips or bloom in her hands. Instead, she can only scold lightly.

 

“God, Lance, why do you always do that?” Pidge asks, pushing his shoulder lightly. “You know Iverson would do anything to rip you a new one. I can take care of myself.”

 

“Because you don’t deserve it,” Lance shrugs. “ I don’t know what you’re aiming for when you pick those fights, Pidge, but It’s important to you. Iverson has no right to scold you for that.”

 

Lance and Hunk head back to their room, Lance leaning on Hunk in an exaggerated manner, as if he hasn’t been working harder than anyone else there.

 

And in that moment, Pidge Gunderson is Katie Holt again, staring at her brother’s back as he walks away.

 

-

 

Pidge Gunderson has worked alongside Lance and Hunk for 6 months. They aren’t too close, and it’s her own fault, but she doesn’t want to lose more family. 

 

She sneaks out of her dorm after curfew, bag packed with equipment and fully expecting to be alone.

 

Lance, with a smug smile, and Hunk, confused and concerned, surprise her by showing up anyway, without warning or reason other than the fact that they saw her.  

 

And then, as she listens to the alien chatter, they see the ship. 

 

-

 

Pidge Gunderson never thought she’s see him again. Takashi Shirogane, prized pilot of the Garrison, hero to pilots everywhere, and once, a prized piece of her family, her brother’s best friend.

 

But he remembers nothing. All he knows is that he and his crew were taken. Her family is still missing. 

 

Katie Holt, acting as Pidge Gunderson, 18 years old and vengeful, will do anything to get her family back.

 

-

 

In the cavern, Pidge stares at the carvings in awe. Something tells her that this will help her find her family. 

 

Keith falls. Surprise blooms oleander along her back as she and Hunk rush to the edge of the rocks.  Lance, the selfless asshole, jumps in after him.

 

“Lance!” Hunk screams, dropping to his knees. “LANCE!”

 

Pidge, for a moment, can only think of Lance’s selflessness. Then, it occurs to her- this town was built for mers and nereids, built because the second dragon of the sea went berserk, and it’s hunter counterpart has been dead for nearly a century. The town was built because no other hunter was willing to take a stand against it, and the first dragon disappeared long ago.

 

“The second dragon of the sea is loose down there,” Says Pidge, frantic, begonia blooming across her clavicle. “They’ll be killed!”

 

Hunk brushes his fingers lightly against the water.

 

The floor shakes suddenly, the walls glow. Hunk leaps backward, away from the water. From the ceiling, small rocks fall, and then a large rock rolls out of a space in the wall. Beyond it, a path, glowing blue from the carvings, beckons.

 

-

 

Christmas roses join the begonia on her shoulders as she worries.

 

“I’m just trying to be realistic, Hunk! We don’t even know if they’re still alive!” She says, realizing that she’s gotten attached like she told herself she wouldn’t. She clenches her fists. “They were under for a while, even before the ground broke and the walls started glowing!”

 

“Pidge…” Shiro says behind her, making oleander bloom from her wrists with unreasonable rage.

 

“I’m sure they’re fine, guys,” Hunk smiles lightly, and Pidge watches as his leaves perk up slightly. “You’ll see.”

 

The cave opens up into a larger cavern, water falling into a lake and the blue light even brighter. The begonia and christmas roses recede as she glances around the cavern. Keith stares up at the walls in wonder and confusion. 

 

Lance stands, with his smug grin and water slicked hair, by a wall of glowing, transparent blue. 

 

“...Hey guys!” He says, tilting his head slightly. “I think I figured out what that energy was!”

 

Keith stands and walks up to Lance with the rest of the group. “Yeah, It’s definitely coming from this. Maybe it’s that Voltron thing that the aliens are looking for?”

 

Shiro nods. “Probably.”

 

And then, suddenly, the light is blinding, sending warmth up and down her spine as images of a giant robot flash through her mind. This, without a doubt, a piece of Voltron.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> begonia- beware  
> camellia (white)- your'e adorable  
> carnation (white)- innocence, a woman's good luck gift  
> crocus- cheerfulness  
> dandelion- faithfulness, happiness  
> forsythia- anticipation  
> gladiolus- honor, strength of character, never giving up, faithfulness, sincerity, and integrity, give me a break, i'm really sincere  
> holly- defense, domestic happiness  
> ivy- friendship, affection  
> marigold- cruelty, grief, jealousy  
> monkshood- beware, a deadly foe is near  
> oleander- caution  
> orange blossom- innocence  
> poppy (yellow)- weath, success  
> rose (christmas)- anxiety, tranquilize my anxiety  
> tulip (yellow)- there's sunshine in your smile  
> violet (blue)- watchfulness, faithfulness, i'll always be there


	5. I, of the Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fire, that breathes life and destroys it just as easily, which cannot be controlled or tamed by the untrained hand.
> 
> For a long time, he has hated the flames, for they have only ever taken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At first i was gonna move on with the story bc we already have some of Keith's POV in ch. 1 but then i had an idea so

Fire, which gives and takes away, which could give birth to new life or destroy it, beautiful, terrifying, and more. 

 

He basks in its warmth, unafraid.

 

-

 

Keith never liked Dragons. Not when they burn everything he’s ever loved to the ground.

 

He looks up at the flames, the smoke clouding the air in his room, and expects to be taken, eaten by the flames that have already claimed the floors around him.  A beam falls, blocking the path to the window, and his door is too hot to touch. He can feel the flames licking his skin, sweat from heat and fear dripping down his back. His mother’s screams go quiet. 

 

Keith looks up again, at the gaping hole in the roof and towards the sky. It’s getting painful to breathe. He presses his hands against his chest, clearing the air inside and around him with what little magic he’s inherited, and takes a deep breath. The air’s a little stuffy, but it’s clean. It’s enough for him to speak. He clasps his hands together and prays to gods he doesn’t truly believe in.

 

“Please, I have people i need to protect,” He whispers up at nothing. “I still have a reason to live.”

 

He doesn’t expect an answer. Hell, he doesn’t even expect to survive the next few minutes. The flames have gotten too close for comfort, burning his skin until he’s raw. It hurts like nothing he’s ever felt before.

 

Keith is 7 years old when his life is taken by the fire. 

 

-

 

Keith never believed in gods. They have only ever failed him when he needed them most.

 

His eyes flutter open, and he sees an expanse of white. He blinks, opening his mouth to speak, to voice his confusion. What comes out is a wail and he hears a breath of relief. 

 

“What are you going to name him, ma’am?” Someone says, and Keith screams even louder.

 

“Hm…” He hears a feminine hum and her tries to turn his head, but someone’s hand grips a little too tightly for comfort and he can’t move. “His name will be Keith.”

 

And then he is handed over to a woman with gentle eyes and a warm smile.

 

“Hey there, Keith,” The woman whispers. “You’ll be really powerful when you grow older.”

Keith presses his hand against her chest, feels her beating heart, and goes quiet. He looks at his hands, small with chubby little fingers and pale. The woman looks at him with soft eyes.

 

“You, my sweet little dragon slayer, will be great.”

 

-

 

Perhaps it’s his own fault for hoping. Keith is 10 years old when his mother dies. 

 

When he gets the news, he can’t bring himself to be surprised. She died in a fire, helping a coworker escape as a support beam crashes onto her. How ironic, really.

 

Keith’s key aspect is fire, but it’s only ever taken from him.

 

-

 

Keith knows that being a Dragon Hunter can be dangerous, and he’s smart enough to hide it. He pools his magic from his past life, a little stronger now, and passes as a witch. It’s draining, yes, but fire comes easily enough. As much as fire takes, in this life it seems a little more benevolent. For once, he is truly thankful to the flames that have destroyed him.

 

-

 

Keith is 17 when he first meets Takashi Shirogane. Shiro is 20, an only child, and the next in line to take him. It’s actually kind of ridiculous, how they meet.

 

Keith’s mother was his only guardian, so when she died, her brother offered to take him in. As time went on, he was passed along the bloodline into households that didn’t even know he existed until he ended up here, in the Shirogane household.

 

Shiro is more like a brother than a guardian, and he helps Keith get into the Galaxy Garrison. He’s 18 when he gets his acceptance letter, and the two of them go out for ice cream in celebration. 

 

-

 

Two years later, Shiro and the Kerberos mission disappear, and with them, Keith’s impulse control. Soon enough, he was fighting every instructor that so much as mentioned the kerberos mission, until he’s kicked out and swiftly replaced.

 

With Shiro gone, he has nowhere to go, and as a legal adult, he couldn’t exactly turn to another relative. He wanders the nearby town, lost, when he comes across two Garrison students. 

 

One of them is a Dragon, and when their eyes meet, he knows that it’s his counterpart. Keith almost attacks him right there, but the Dragon barely gives him a second glance. There isn’t a trace of fear in his expression. He offers Keith a place to stay.

 

“My mother was the queen of the kingdom down below,” Said the Dragon. His friend went off to go get the groceries. “She can help you, I promise.” 

 

“Thank you.”

 

Keith is touched. The Dragon’s mother- her name is Veronica, and her son’s name is Lance- gives him a cozy little shack nestled amongst the cliffs. It has everything he needs and a little more, styled like his old home. Veronica tells him that one of the seers built it and designed it based on a vision. One room is locked, but the door doesn’t have a key hole and he can’t knock it down. 

 

Eventually, he gives up on it and focuses on the energy coming from the caves below.

 

-

 

6 months later, Keith has Shiro back, along with the Dragon, The Dryad, and A fairy he’s never seen before. The room opens, and In it are Clothes that definitely don’t fit him, but fit Shiro for some reason. There are also some miscellaneous tools and scrap metal, and a book bound in some unknown material that shimmers blue.

 

All of this is packed away in bags and pockets as the group ventures into the caves.

 

-

 

Lance looks warily at the water below, and Keith falls.

 

-

 

[I’m the second Dragon of the Stars. Or, I will be, soon.]

 

-

When he comes to, Lance is facing the water with the most heartbroken look he’s ever seen.  It’s then and there that Keith realizes that Dragons can lose just as much as he has. 

 

Water is similar to fire like that- Beautiful and terrifying, creator and destroyer.  Lance’s key aspect is water, and it is clear that the water has taken away so much from him.

 

“I thought you hated the water,” Says Keith, thinking of his own experiences with fire.

 

But Lance isn’t like Keith- not really. They may be similar, but when it comes to down to it, there is one thing that truly sets them apart.

 

“...I don’t think I could ever bring myself to hate the water.”

 

-

 

The Fairy is yelling. It’s a worried, panicked kind of yell, desperate and hurt. The Dryad- he really needs to learn these names, yeesh- replies cheerily, a stark difference from the worried tones of the night before. He can’t even hear Shiro, really, but he knows he’s there. The three for them step into the open cavers, eyes sweeping over the waterfall and himself until they reach Lance. 

 

They stop short, eyes wide. Keith turns to look at Lance, confused.

 

“...Hey guys,” Says Lance, grinning. “I think I figured out what that energy was!”

 

Keith stands, shocked, and feels for the energy. It’s stronger than he’s ever felt, and Lance radiates with identical energy as well. 

 

“Yeah, It’s definitely coming from this,” He says, glancing at Lance again. “Maybe it’s that Voltron thing the aliens are looking for?”

 

Behind him, Shiro nods. “Probably.”

 

Lance flattens his hand against the wall of blue. Suddenly, warmth runs up his spine, and he expects flames and pain. Instead, he gets images of lights gathering to create one entity. 

 

This is Voltron, but there’s something more under that. Keith glances at Lance when the image fades away. Lance is staring down at the eyes of the robotic lion, eyebrows creased. His mouth is twisted in confusion. 

 

The unknown feeling settles in his stomach and identifies itself. It’s a sense of belonging- like there’s something, someplace out there that he can truly feel himself. 

 

He looks back at the lion. 

 

-

 

_ Fire is nothing to be afraid of, Keith. It will give and take as it likes, but in the end, when all is said and done… _

  
_ Fire will work with water to create everything. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a slut for reincarnation im sorry

**Author's Note:**

> So. I wrote something.   
> It's cool, i guess?  
> yeah.
> 
> ((rip my level x arceus card. you disappeared on me asshole))


End file.
